CES 2009: Vuzix Wrap 920AVs

At CES 2009, Dan got his hands (or eyes?) on Vuzix’s Wrap 920AVs that I was getting excited about here. They’re every bit as awesome as promised, apparently, but Dan also managed to wheedle out a price from them – they’re looking at $399 (£274), and a ‘summertime’ release (for the US, presumably).

Vuzix

Related posts: Next-gen Vuzix VR glasses will be unveiled at CES | Vuzix Wrap 920AV audiovisual goggles – the full, actually quite awesome, details

Vuzix Wrap 920AV audiovisual goggles – the full, actually quite awesome, details

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We’ve just been given the full details on the Vuzix 920AVs that I posted about on Friday, and gosh, they look more exciting than I had anticipated. Remember how I said that they seemed to be the non-interactive version? They’re not – there’s an option to fit them with a “6-Degree of Freedom tracking sensor and/or Stereo Camera Pair”.

That means that you can mix images from in front of you with virtual content. Imagine looking down a street, and seeing little markers come up from famous buildings saying what they are, or the ultimate Sat-Nav system which can tell which way you’re looking and show you which way to go with a line on the road.

Next-gen Vuzix VR glasses will be unveiled at CES

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You might remember Vuzix from the VR920s that I reviewed back in October. They were bulky, unresponsive, and difficult to configure. These, however, look like a different kettle of fish. Specifically, a kettle of fish shaped like a pair of really nice sunglasses.

As well as the design getting a massive kick up the arse, the new glasses should also feature improved screens with considerably better immersiveness than the older model. The glasses unveiled at CES will be the non-interactive ‘watch-videos-on-your-ipod’ version, but here’s hoping that an interactive gaming model like the VR920 will be released shortly after with the necessary built-in accelerometers.

(via Gadget Lab)

Related posts: SHINY VIDEO REVIEW: Vuzix iWear VR920 | Vuzix announces widescreen virtual reality glasses

Nike concept sunglasses give you the benefit of hindsight

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Here’s some nifty concept sunglasses from Nike which curve your field of vision, so you can actually (sort-of) see behind you! Normal field of view is 180°, but this extends that 25° on each side, giving you an effective 230° vision range. Useful for seeing that taxi that’s about to knock you over. Nike say:

“To get technical, high power, diverging Fresnel zones aligned vertically distort into view an extra 25º of view on either side. In doing this, vision is radically distorted in the periphery, but as the eye detects only motion in that area, little clarity is lost in the process.”

Still, it remains just a concept. Sorry, but you won’t be getting your hands on these just yet.

Nike (via CrunchGear)

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But wait! He’s not that much of a nutcase, as these sunglasses were only handed out to Microsoft employees in the 1980s. Which definitely makes them worth the full $173,000, as they are one of the few remaining pairs.

Here’s a fantastic highlight from the listing, explaining in a little more detail why they are such a valuable item for Microsoft collectors…

A post about DIY Terminator sunglasses that doesn't use a single Arnie catchphrase

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Jamiroquai lover? You'll fancy these Oakley JK15 Split Thump MP3 sunglasses, then

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kat-revolutioneyes.jpgHave you ever seen at hair salons they sometimes offer a service where they take a photo of you, and then can show your picture on a computer screen, with 300 different haircuts, all superimposed on? This is just like it, only online, and with…sunglasses!

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